EU says TikTok’s addictive design breaches Digital Services Act

The European Commission has preliminarily concluded that several core design features of TikTok violate the requirements of the EU’s Digital Services Act. 

According to the Commission’s findings, TikTok’s “addictive design” — including features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and a highly personalised recommender system — appears to pose systemic risks to users’ physical and mental wellbeing, particularly minors and vulnerable adults, Caliber.Az reports, citing a statement by the Commission.

The Commission’s investigation indicates that TikTok failed to adequately assess the impact of these design elements. By continuously “rewarding” users with new content, the platform fuels the urge to keep scrolling and shifts users’ brains into an “autopilot mode,” a phenomenon that scientific research associates with compulsive behaviour and reduced self-control.

Regulators also found that TikTok disregarded key indicators of compulsive use, such as the amount of time minors spend on the app at night, how frequently users open the platform, and other behavioural warning signs.

As a result, the Commission considers that TikTok has not implemented “reasonable, proportionate and effective measures” to mitigate the risks stemming from its addictive design. Existing safeguards, including screen-time management and parental control tools, were deemed insufficient. The Commission noted that time management features are easily dismissed and introduce limited friction, while parental controls may be ineffective as they require additional time and technical skills from parents.

At this stage, the Commission believes TikTok may need to fundamentally redesign aspects of its service. Suggested measures include disabling key addictive features such as infinite scroll over time, introducing effective screen-time breaks — including during nighttime hours — and adapting its recommender system.

The Commission stressed that these conclusions are preliminary and do not prejudge the final outcome of the investigation. The findings are based on an in-depth inquiry that included analysis of TikTok’s risk assessment reports, internal data and documents, responses to multiple requests for information, extensive scientific research, and interviews with experts in fields including behavioural addiction.

TikTok now has the right to examine the Commission’s investigation files and submit a written response. The European Board for Digital Services will also be consulted.

If the Commission’s preliminary views are confirmed, it may issue a non-compliance decision that could result in a fine proportionate to the nature, gravity, recurrence and duration of the infringement, amounting to up to 6% of TikTok’s total worldwide annual turnover.

The findings form part of formal proceedings launched on February 19, 2024 to assess TikTok’s compliance with the DSA. In addition to addictive design, the investigation covers the so-called “rabbit hole effect” of the platform’s recommender systems, risks of minors accessing age-inappropriate content due to misrepresentation of age, and TikTok’s obligations to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security for children.

Separate strands of the probe have already concluded, including access to public data for researchers — with preliminary findings adopted in October 2025 — and advertising transparency, which was resolved through binding commitments in December 2025.

By Vafa Guliyeva